Dozens of family members and friends gathered at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church to celebrate the life of Edgar Lawrence "Dooky" Chase Jr., who passed away Nov. 22.

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Updated: 8:19 PM CST Nov 28, 2016

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WEBVTT
NATALIE: DOOKY CHASE JUNIOR HAS
A HUGE FAMILY.
DOZENS OF THEM INCLUDING HIS
MORE THAN FORTY GRANDCHILDREN
AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN
ALONG WITH HIS FRIENDS ALL
GATHERED HERE TODAY TO PAY THEIR
RESPECTS AND CHERISH HIS MEMORY.
THE FAMILY DESCRIBES DOOKY CHASE
JUNIOR AS A STRONG AND SELFLESS
MAN.
HIS FAMILY'S LEGENDARY TREME
RESTAURANT BEARING HIS NAME
IS A NEW ORLEANS STAPLE.
AND WHILE THAT MAY BE HIS MOST
POPULAR TRIBUTE TO THE CRESCENT
CITY HIS FAMILY SAYS DOOKY CHASE
, JUNIOR'S OTHER PASSION RESTS
IN HIS MUSIC.
>> MORE THAN ANYTHING, PEOPLE
KNOW HIM FOR THE RESTAURANT, BUT
HE WAS A MUSICIAN.
HE LOVED MUSIC.
HE LOVED THE NEW ORLEANS MUSIC
SCENE.
SO ALL THOSE GUYS YOU SEE OUT
THERE PLAYING NOW, THEY ALL KNOW
HIM.
EVEN THE YOUNG ONES.
NATALIE: DOOKY CHASE JUNIOR WAS
ALSO A CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE AND
ENTREPRENEUR.
COMING UP AT 5:00, WE'LL TELL
YOU HOW WHAT HIS FAMILY'S PLANS
ARE FOR THE DOOKY CHASE

To the community, Dooky Chase Jr. was widely known for the Creole cuisine served at his family's restaurant in Treme.

"We hope that the good food that is had at his restaurant will be there decades from now," family friend Patty Gay said.

But among his 15 grandchildren, he was simply known as the grandfather who wanted to instill his passion for music.

"More than anything, people know him for the restaurant. But he was a musician. He loved music. He loved the New Orleans music scene," grandson Victor Haydel said.

"He's been the foundation of my life and in many of our lives regarding music. I remember, his grandchildren, if he caught your wrist, basically he'd hold you down and teach you a song, and sing a song with you," granddaughter Chase Kanata said.

Dooky Chase Jr. is survived by his four children, 15 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and his wife of 70 years, Leah Chase.

"Out of nowhere, Leah came. She took dad's heart and found it free, a stardust melody. She became Dooky's memory of love's sweet refrain," said his son, Edgar Chase III, during a tribute at the funeral Mass.

"Dad was a dreamer; my mother his muse. They met at the dance. Oh, did dad love to dance," Chase III said.

Haydel said while his grandmother, Leah, grieves the loss of her husband, the family's restaurant -- where a black wreath now hangs on the door in his honor -- will remain open and continue to celebrate the legacy left by "Dooky" Chase Jr.

"The way our grandmother deals with anything in life is to work. This happened on Tuesday, and the restaurant has been open every day since. He won't be there, but his spirit will and I don't see anything changing. We love him and we will miss him," Haydel said.

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